Making a trailer from a Pickup

[Vintage Windmills]

This is a rustfree slightly dented good box on a C20 heavy spring optioned leaf truck so I might as well do it right.

Has anyone made use of the brake system with a surge coupler? The main question is do surge couplers like this have good pressures for the brakes? http://www.tiedown.com/aactuator.html

Also has anyone seen a V mount surge coupler? Most seem to be designed for a 3" single square tube like a boat trailer tongue.

Backup relief solenoid needed?

Just leave the pinion in the rear and let it spin??

PS, this is how you move a nonrunning truck without having to have someone steer it around

[mbgmike]

You don't need any solenoid with most surge brake mfg's or anything attached to the truck. if building a trailer out of new stock i would also consider using the new single unit axles that bolt or weld to the side rails. they come complete. they eliminate the axle. Pretty cool. they are made by Timbren. they are avaiible to 3500 lbs per side. from 400 lbs. We sell them but they availble most places

http://www.timbren.com/aeon-rubber-springs.htm

[Vintage Windmills]

Thanks for the response, I will keep that in mind for future trailers. I plan on using the dana 60 and factory suspension in this trailer.

Still looking for other input...

[Grimpala]

Seems like a waste of a good truck. Find a 73 up to do that with and sell this one.

[StingRay]

Usually brakes are only required over about 3000 lbs. I'll assume that the trailer will weight 1000 or less. The rear axle and springs on a 3/4 ton was probably only rated for about 2000. How much are you thinking of hauling with it and do you really need brakes?

Also it's pretty easy to weld a piece of square tubing in when you pinch the frame at the front. Bridge the A frame with another piece of tubing and attach the inboard end of the square tongue extension to it. You are adding a T shaped assembly to the middle existing pinched frame rails.

[Vintage Windmills]

Originally Posted by Grimpala

Seems like a waste of a good truck. Find a 73 up to do that with and sell this one.

Truck had no engine, cab was shot- rusted through on firewall, visor area, kickpanels, rockers, mounts, corners, etc. I parted the truck out. Believe me, I'm all about preserving trucks, but it just wasn't practical with this one. I'd have had more in it than it would be worth.

Originally Posted by StingRay

Usually brakes are only required over about 3000 lbs. I'll assume that the trailer will weight 1000 or less. The rear axle and springs on a 3/4 ton was probably only rated for about 2000. How much are you thinking of hauling with it and do you really need brakes?

Also it's pretty easy to weld a piece of square tubing in when you pinch the frame at the front. Bridge the A frame with another piece of tubing and attach the inboard end of the square tongue extension to it. You are adding a T shaped assembly to the middle existing pinched frame rails.

Good points, I'm thinking of hauling around 2000lbs with it so about 3000lbs total weight. I'd like to stay as safe as possible and no one has ever regretted having brakes. I will use the A frame and T idea you mentioned for the tongue, can get another few inches that way. I always thought most of these trailers had tongues just a little too short.

[StingRay]

True you can't be too safe but frankly I've hauled plenty of trailers and never had a problem with the light ones with no brakes. I built a trailer like you want to from a bunch of crap I had for a buddy of mine. They work great. I've used it lots of times behind my own 72 and never felt I needed trailer brakes. FYI I did the tongue as I descibed and it worked great. Like you said you get that extra bit of tongue length.

[Clyde65]

I had a long bed trailer a few years ago, loaded it just like my truck and never had brakes on it, didnt need them, my 3/4ton truck had plenty of brakes for both.

[Vintage Windmills]

So just check/change the diff fluid and call it good? Let the pinion spin?

[StingRay]

Hasn't been a problem for the one I built 15 years ago.

[Clyde65]

I removed the brake stuff, but other than that nothing.

[Vintage Windmills]

I might do this to a coil spring truck sometime also. I've heard they don't make as good of trailers, is that true?

[Hubscrub]

i built a trailer with a 86 short bed. I cut a small pie cut in both sides of the frame and bent the frame in toward each other, i bought an A frame coupler from tsc and welded/bolted it to the frame. I used the factory wiring and lights, works great.

[msgross]

Originally Posted by Vintage Windmills

I might do this to a coil spring truck sometime also. I've heard they don't make as good of trailers, is that true?

I hear they sway a lot and shouldn't be used... Leaf spring is more stable...

[67_C-30]

I've got one with coils and helpers, and it does great, but they may sway without helpers (I bought mine this way).

[BMERDOC]

Everytime I see one of those I get a little choked up. Yet another truck that didn't get to be somebody's hot rod.

[CG]

I bought a 69 Chev C10 with the optional leafs in the rear for the sole purpose of making a trailer with it. I had heard leafs were better for a box made in to a trailer. The rest of the truck is totally shot.

Nother one of my "someday projects"

[cdowns]

i dont see a need for brakes on such a small trailer, just another possible problem on the road

you could hookup an altenator to the pinion of the rear and run a refrigerator for longer road trips

[m6z]

Originally Posted by cdowns

i dont see a need for brakes on such a small trailer, just another possible problem on the road

you could hookup an altenator to the pinion of the rear and run a refrigerator for longer road trips

neat idea. I would of never thought of somthing like that.

[Hubscrub]

Originally Posted by cdowns

i don't see a need for brakes on such a small trailer, just another possible problem on the road

you could hookup an alternator to the pinion of the rear and run a refrigerator for longer road trips

the possibility's are endless

[Vintage Windmills]

Wondering now if I should remove the axles from the Dana 60 so it doesn't have to spin them?

[mrein3]

If you're still thinking about surge brakes, look at this setup:
http://www.ufpnet.com/Actuators/tabid/54/Default.aspx

The surge brakes were hanging up on my now 10 year old bass boat. I finally figured out it was the brake rod in the actuator that was rusty and hanging up in the master cylinder. Long story short I orded a whole new A-60 actuator. I couldn't believe how easy it was to install. The surge brakes are over-ridden by the back-up light. Instead of a 4-pin straight trailer connector you use a 5-pin with the 5th pin connected to the back-up lights. When you put your truck in reverse the back-up lights turn on and powers a solenoid on the back of the surge master cylinder which opens up a path for the brake fluid to flow back into the reservoir. Pretty simple really.

I couldn't believe how easy it was to install. The online place I got it from sells a weld-on mount for the A-60. With that in place it is two pins, a brake line connection, then bleed the system with a screwdriver.

10 years after buying the bass boat I read the surge brakes manual. You're supposed to push up a lever when you park your trailer so the brake rod doesn't get corroded and hang up.

[Vintage Windmills]

^ thanks for the link. Looks like a good product, how much $$ do they run?

[mrein3]

I think it was $180 plus shipping for the actuator assembly
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[sleepertruck72]

I dont think you need trailer brakes if the brakes in your truck are in good working condition. It has worked for me with heavy loads no problem (2-3K#) You may as well invest in a tranny cooler if you dont have one already, or new brake pads for your truck etc. As for the diff, I would drain it out, replace gasket and refill.. Just my 2 cents

Here's a pic of mine.. very similar color to yours